it's only love, not a timebomb (there's no way out of this)
by authenticaussie
Summary: "You're reckless," Leo says, and ties off the bandage a little tighter than necessary. Casey's muscle jumps under his hands, warm and strong, but Casey doesn't even hiss through his teeth. / or: Casey gets injured, and Leo patches him up.


**AN: so this req was technically blank but then I got Invested in Cute Art (aka. the easiest way to get me Thinking Of Ship Content) and I didn't have any OTHER ideas for this, so! Time to fulfil some rarepairs (I know what it's like to live in a canoe).**

**Title is a combo of Timebomb by P!nk and Time-Bomb by All Time Low. Gracious, you think there's a thematic link?**

**Enjoy**

* * *

In order, it goes like this:

Donnie's the best at tying bandages, then Splinter, Casey (loathe though he is to be patient), and Leo.

But Donnie's checking Mikey for a concussion, Splinter's trying to coax Raph out of a funk, and Casey's the one clutching his shoulder, blood creeping through his fingers, so the job's on Leo.

"I think," Leo says, methodologically clearing blood off Casey's bicep so he can see where the wound starts, "that next time you get shot, I want a head's up. You know, before you limp into the lair bleeding everywhere."

Casey grins at him. "Next time? You have such little faith."

Leo presses hard with the antiseptic and Casey yelps, aiming a kick at Leo's shin that Leo easily side-steps. He narrows his eyes at the graze on Casey's shoulder like that'd stop him bleeding, and tries to figure out if it needs stitches. Tries to figure out if he'll be able to get Casey to consent to stitches.

"Out of the six of us, you are the one who gets shot the most."

"I can't redirect bullets with my mind!" Casey protests, and Leo sets his jaw and keeps his eyes on the gauze. The mix of white and green always looks odd, but he's still thankful April has kept their first-aid kit stocked. It's better for the humans in their life that the bandages are clean, and they're strong but he knows Donnie's thankful for it too. Fewer germs, fewer threats they can't fight, fewer weaknesses.

Fewer weaknesses, but they live with humans now.

"You're reckless," Leo says, and ties off the bandage a little tighter than necessary. Casey's muscle jumps under his hands, warm and strong, but Casey doesn't even hiss through his teeth.

Donnie's best at doing bandages, then Splinter, then Casey, _then _Leo.

But Casey always asks for him. (Because Leo knows he likes it tight, knows that Casey wants to flex and feel the pinch of injury, the shift of the bandage; they're the same, like that. The only difference is in how they scar.)

Leo takes his time checking the edges, letting his fingers run over Casey's skin - tight is fine, constricting blood flow is not - and he can tell that Casey's getting bored when he starts to shift on Donnie's workbench.

"Thanks," Casey says, when Leo can't find another excuse for the length of time he's spent with his hands on Casey's arm, and Leo awkwardly pats the bandage once, like he needs to check it's in place. Then he steps out of the way, so Casey can swing himself off the bench and windmill his arm to check Leo's work.

Casey tilts his head and tracks him, hands braced against the edge of the desk. "All done?" he asks, and Leo frowns slowly, knowing that Casey's fishing for something. He nods, and watches Casey grin. "I think you missed a step, is all."

Casey leans forward, easy and open - an invitation if ever there was one, and Leo scowls. "No," he says sternly. "I'm not going to reward you for getting shot."

"What about a reward for sitting still?" Casey asks, pouting dramatically with his eyes wide. "Please? You should at least kiss me for saying please."

"_Not_ in my lab!" Donnie says from the corner sectioned off for the med-bay, and Casey's pout turns into a grin as he tries not to laugh. He waggles his eyebrows, stupid and silly and happy and alive.

A weakness.

Leo steps in and picks Casey's hands from the bench, tugging him along, and lets himself smile at Casey's dopey look at their conjoined hands.

"Not in Donnie's lab," he says, and Casey's cheer makes Mikey whine, _ow, my head _and Donnie yell, _get out!_

Donnie's best at doing bandages, then Splinter, then Casey, then Leo.

But Casey likes Leo best.


End file.
